


Something Smells Fishy

by ArdynIzuniaTrashLord (orphan_account)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Awkward Kissing, Biting, Blood and Gore, Creepy Ardyn, Crucifixion, Dancing, Dark, Death Threats, Drowning, Fishing, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hallucinations, Kidnapping, Kissing, Love Bites, M/M, Mermaids, Mermen, Mindfuck, Minor Injuries, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Nausea, Past Torture, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Seduction, Swearing, Threats of Violence, Torture, Violence, Well almost, ardyn's a prissy bitch, dark celebrations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-10-29 19:17:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10860360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/ArdynIzuniaTrashLord
Summary: Noctis Lucis Caelum works at Lucis Laboratories, owned by his father; Regis. Noct's job is to study new creatures and report them to the higher ups about it. He enjoys it. Until he's assigned to an impossible task ever.Socialize with a merman and gain info about him.





	Something Smells Fishy

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, I made another story. This features mermaids/mermen. Noctis works in Lucis Laboratories and the people who work there study sea-related things. (mostly coral, different types of fish, the water, sea creatures, etc.)
> 
> Noctis' job is to examine and try to socialize with the creatures. (He loves it.) In future chapters, there will be dark parts. :3
> 
> https://royaltystudio.tumblr.com/

 

 

"Coming..." Noctis groans as he drags himself to the laboratory. As he edges closer, he lazily runs forward for the door's handle. He opens it up, to meet an impatient, upset man.

 

"Noct, you're late..." Ignis sterns, crossing his arms.

 

"It was just five minutes..." The raven responds. "and it's not a big of a deal anyway." He easily shrugs it off.

 

Ignis sighed. "Where is your work attire?" His eyes shifted up and down Noct's body, seeing him wearing his casual black t-shirt with skulls, black cropped trousers, black boots and wore a black motorcycle glovelet on his left hand. He wasn't wearing his white jacket.

 

 "It...got tattered." 

 

 "Might I have to get you a new one for the third time this week? You're far too reckless, Noct!"

 

"Well, I've been hanging with Prompto and Gladio, so it's not that surprising."

 

"Honestly, I need to separate the three of you..."

 

Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose out of irritation. Unexpected, he started to push the raven. Noctis let out a loud yelp and questioned Ignis' actions. Ignis refused to answer and continued pushing him to a door that led to a giant glass tank room that would be seen in aquariums. It's said that there have been sightings of a large creature with a red tail roaming in the ocean. They've also said that their fishnets kept getting torn apart, along with boat engines being broken down by a clean strike. 

 

Some call them crazy, some say it's true, some say it's false.

 

A few people have seen it cutting fishing lines and quickly destroying their baits before any sea creatures go to them first. But a few weeks later, it was finally caught. The creature was identified as a merman. Civilians were shocked and horrified. Mermaids/Mermen; A mythical creature people say that have roamed the oceans. The merman was given to Lucis Laboratories to investigate.  

 

 "Ugh...I don't wanna go..." The raven whined childishly.

 

"It's your job." Iggy simply replied.

 

"He's always giving off a deadly aura whenever somebody's around! He only seems to be active when it's just me and him. He usually stares at me with his beady amber eyes..." Noct's body shakes. A couple days ago, when he was walking away, he swore lustful eyes were staring at him. Though, they might've been accidental.

 

"It's a merman, Noct. We know nothing about it. And you have an important role in figuring out merman's attributes."

 

"Using the word  _it_ is a little harsh..." Noct shrugs.

 

"Fine.  _He_." He breaths out. "And please stop resisting." Iggy sighs.

 

"You're the one forcing me."

 

"I'm highly sure the merman would not dare put a hand on you. If anything happens-"

 

"If anything happens, call you. Yeah, I got it." Noct brings his phone out of his pocket, waving it in front of Ignis, reassuring him. The two heard four footsteps, getting louder and louder as they came closer. Came in a blond and a brunet. The blond decided to body slam himself into Noctis, giving a massive (painful) hug.

 

"Nooooct, you're so lucky! You get to speak to a merman! A freaking merman!" Prompto exclaims and lets go of his friend, allowing him some air. He starts jumping up and down, a large grin on his face. "How exciting is that!?"

 

Noct scratches the back of his neck. "Not much. The guy doesn't really...talk much. He only seems to move around whenever I'm the only one in the room."

 

"I mean, we did capture him from the ocean and moved into a more confined area. I'd probably be a rude ass to anyone around me." Gladio crosses his arms and makes a careless half shrug.

 

"Hate to say this, but Gladio does have a point." Ignis nods his head in agreement.

 

"Now that I think about it, he's probably plotting my death. Especially when I  _gain_ his trust and edge closer to him."

 

"Do you always sit all the way back on the platform?" Gladio snorts.

 

"...Sometimes." Noct flushes, using the tip of his index finger to scratch his cheek. Gladiolus lets out a chuckle, smacking the raven's back. 

 

"I'm sure he won't bite you. There are cameras anyway. And if he does want a bite, you could always yell!" Prompto says, pushing the raven's shoulder as a joking way.

 

"He grabbed my arm!" Noctis exclaims.

 

"Might've been a friendly gesture?" 

 

"Prom, I don't think a merman would really grab someone by the arm as a welcoming," Gladio says.

 

"More like wanting to eat me..." Noct hisses.

 

"Are you sure merpeople eat humans? I've read in fairytales-" 

 

"Prompto, the only thing you know about merpeople is from that Little Mermaid movie when we were kids." Noctis rolls his eyes.

 

"I still watch it till this day..." The blond pouts.

 

"Of course you do." Noct grabs his clipboard from a white counter. He grabs a nearby pen and takes it with him.

 

Noctis pushes a door and slowly walked through. He went over to the metal stairs. The stairs led to the top at the edge of the tank. The merman would usually poke his head out of the water and watch Noct's every move. The merman was currently at the bottom of his monstrous tank, asleep. When Noct reached the top, he sat down. He unlocked the gate, in order for the merman's fingers to cling onto the edge. But not enough for him to escape.

 

Noctis had food with him in a bucket to his side. Fish, prawn, clams, seaweed, coral inside the bucket. Anything that would seem edible to a merman. Hell- even the whole bucket if he could eat it! On the clipboard, there were twelve pages, fifty questions on all of them and he were assigned to ask and dot down if answered. For the past two weeks, both of them haven't even gone through the first question.

 

"Hey...I'm back."

 

The merman, who was previously sleeping, eyes opened up from the sudden noise. He looked around, seeing if anybody was in the room. Just a couple, passing through. He waited for them to get out and leave him and Noct be. The merman swam up, using his red tail for power. 

 

 

Noctis sighs. "Look. I know...we may have captured you from the sea and all..." He grits his teeth and inhales through them. "you'll get your freedom soon. We just need some information from you, alright?" Noct reassurred. That may have been a lie.

 

"Uh, okay, let's just get this over with so you don't have to see me again," Noct says, as the merman raises an amused, questionable eyebrow. The raven lowers his head, looking at his clipboard.

 

"So...first question: What's your name?" He asks.

 

The scaly creature didn't open his mouth. But a small grin formed on his face. It showed sharp, jagged teeth, enough to cut through butter in one slice. The creature swam forward, causing Noct to shuffle back. He couldn't even think clearly when the merman's hand gripped the edge of the platform. Noct's hand was close to his phone, about to call Ignis. He could clearly remember Ignis' words.

 

_"Call me if there is an emergency."_

 

_"Yeah, whatever."_

 

The red head pauses. A low growl escapes his lips.

 

He slowly moved back. Noct put a hand to his heart, feeling it race. He hears a long, deep chuckle. It spooks the raven, causing him to accidentally let out a gasp. He quickly covers his mouth, to result in the merman to chuckle louder. "...C...Can you speak?" He questions. He starts to slowly shift his bottom closer to the edge of the tank. The merman nods his head.

 

"L-Like in English?"

 

The merman nods once more.

 

"Can you please tell me your name...?" Noctis asks again. The sounds around them were just out of water ripples from the merman's movements. Noctis leant close, his face getting further to the merman. He finally takes notice when his nose touched the slimy creature's nose. He backs up, letting out a soft squeal. The red head couldn't bother, but to chuckle huskily again.

 

"I-" Noct was about to speak but shut himself up. He wanted to hear more of the merman's voice. It sounded...really _husky_. Deep, a little bit formal and very oily. The red head seemed to murmur something, quite beyond Noct's hearing.

 

"Ah...what did you say?" Noctis' eyebrows furrowed.

 

"These lips are sealed."

 

Noctis pouted. He puffed out his cheeks in an adorable fashion, his eyes shifting anywhere else but the redhead. The merman was completely intrigued by the human's actions. Noct huffed. He took the clipboard off of his lap and started reading it from the top.

 

"What's your name?" Noct breathed out.

 

"Ardyn Izunia." He said with a smile.

 

"Alright, _Ardyn._ " Noctis nodded, as his eyes were still focused on his clipboard. "I'm Noctis Lucis Caelum. Son of the man who...put you here." Noct awkwardly trailed off. Ardyn squinted his eyes and glared at him for a couple seconds.

 

"Very well then,  _Noct~._ " The merman's voice purred. As the raven was about to move onto the second question, he was interrupted by a wet hand touching his clipboard. Water dripped down, absorbed by the sheets of paper. Ardyn pushed the clipboard down, in order to look deep into the young man's eyes. Noct's eyes were a nice beautiful shade of blue. Anybody could swoon over them just from a small glimpse.

 

Noctis cleared his throat and pulled his clipboard to cover up his face. "Alright, question two." He swallowed. He felt so idiotic for feeling this way. "What's your...age?"

 

"Roughly 2,000 years old. I haven't been keeping track." Ardyn casually replied.

 

"Wait- 2,000? Can merpeople live that long?" Noct asked eagerly, forgetting his fear of the merman.

 

"Indeed. We can live up for 500,000 years. For humans, your lifespan would be around 60-70, am I right?"

 

"So you're..." Noct trailed off as he thought to himself, calculating mentally.

 

"I'm around my 30's if I was a human." 

 

"I'm only 20..." Noct huffed. Even the merman was older than him by 10 years!

 

"Understandable. I can see it from your facial expression. You look young as a 1,000-year-old." Ardyn complimented.

 

"Thanks..." Noct scrolled his eyes down the paper. "Ideal tastes? On food?"

 

"I don't eat much. But if I do, I tend to feast on human remains that have fallen into the ocean."

 

Noct's eyes went wide as saucers. Without question, he pushed himself further back on the platform he was sitting on, far away from the merman. The redhead couldn't help himself by the human's actions, but to let out an echoing chuckle.

 

"I'm only joking,  _Noct._ Sea creatures are my ideal taste. Sometimes seaweed, but I'm not fond of the taste."

 

_"Just like vegetables..."_ The raven thought to himself.

 

"Oh? So we have something in common." Ardyn raised his right brow in amusement.

 

_"Shit, did I say that out loud...?"_

 

"Yes, you did. And that as well." Izunia gave a small grin.

 

"Question four: Any reason for scale colours? Just born with it, earn it, or...even dye it?" 

 

"Born with it. I have seen merpeople dying their scales. It is possible, but a dangerous procedure." Ardyn replied.

 

"What's the strangest colour you've seen?" Noctis asked, interested.

 

"Strangest? Honestly, I've seen too many to count. I've seen a mermaid coming out of her den with neon, rainbow coloured scales. She was quite the eye-catcher."

 

"What? You like her?" Noct snorted with a grin.

 

"I have no tastes for mermaids. Or women."

 

"You're...gay?" Noctis raised both of his eyebrows.

 

"What do you think...?" Ardyn cocked his head, looking deep into the raven's expression.

 

"Uh...nevermind. Question five: Clothing?"

 

"You would see mermaids wearing tops. As you already know; modesty."

 

"Question six: Housing?"

 

"They seem like a den. Usually carved into rock walls or the ground. It is quite a hassle for security, as intruders come in and out as they please." Ardyn huffed.

 

Noctis was quite scared on the seventh question. "Question...seven: Love interests?" He curled his lips inward nervously.

 

Ardyn hesitated. But he finally answered. "Never have I thought or had a love interest. Nor will I ever have one."

 

"Kind of a lowly life..."

 

"How about you?' Ardyn snapped back. He realized his tone of voice and added in another sentence, so the human wouldn't seem agitated. "I'm curious."

 

"I...used to," Noctis admitted it. He actually did have one, but it later died down.

 

When he was younger, he liked a girl; Lunafreya. Many boys liked her, mostly for her appearance. She was a kind, friendly and patient person, who would sacrifice anything for a person's life. The first time Noctis met her, was by the beach. He was running on the soft sand but felt sudden pain at the bottom of his foot. He ran into a sharp, broken shell that penetrated through his skin.

 

Then came a blonde girl who popped out of nowhere. Somehow, she healed Noctis right back up like a healer.

 

On weekends, Noct would usually hang out with her by the docks, talking about fish, sea creatures, myths and coral. They were told to never go to the docks at night. There had been disappearances commonly at the docks during that time. It's said people were pulled in by some strange hand. One time, they were outside, sitting by the docks as they were told to never do so. For awhile of talking to each other, Luna's ankle was suddenly grabbed by an unknown creature. Noct caught a glimpse of it; all white with heterochromia eyes. Lunafreya was pulled into the water, with Noctis there, crying (screaming) his heart out. That was the last he saw of her.

 

"Don't cry..." Izunia slowly pulled his hand from the water, touching Noctis' face. He rubbed away a salty tear from his pale face.

 

Noct didn't even notice he was crying. He blinked twice, snapping back into reality. The raven waved his hand, shooing away the merman's touch. "I'm fine." He sniffled. Obviously, he wasn't fine at all.

 

"S...Sorry." Noctis apologized. "Question eight: Do you go after boats for a reason? Along with fishing nets and boat engines...?"

 

"No need to apologize," Ardyn reassured. "I mostly go after them for many reasons. These web-like nets hunt sea creatures for their own good will. I try to save as many as I could. I sometimes choke on that black liquid that leak from boats. It seriously affects the coral. Sickens me on what dangerous procedures you humans risk." Ardyn hissed in irritation.

 

Noct felt bad for him. "You mean...oil?"

 

"Yes, that substance." Izunia squinted his eyes. "If you could, at least use a rowing boat? Like the ones you have used in the past? It was more peaceful and acceptable by my standards." Ardyn's gaze turned serious.

 

"I'll...try my best." He shrugged. "Question nine: Do you have a language of some sort? Merfolk language?"

 

"We do have one. Quite difficult to decipher, but once you get used to it, it's simple. Commoners tend to speak English instead of Merfolk."

 

"Can you say some?" Noctis shuffled forward, leaning in close.

 

"Traditional or Simplified?" The redhead said with a quiet chuckle.

 

Noct huffed. "Simplified."

 

"Peirso senri lens," Ardyn responded with a smirk.

 

"Translation...?"

 

"You would have to earn it."

 

"Wait, what?" Noctis stared dumbfoundedly.

 

"Do something for me, and I'll translate a word for you."

 

The raven hissed. "Like what?"

 

"A book." Ardyn simply replied.

 

"...Why a book?"

 

"I haven't gotten anywhere to go, do I? At least for my entertainment sake."

 

Noctis got up.

 

He had returned, with a very thin, paper book in his left hand and very heavy, old looking one in his right. Noct sat down on the platform, laying out the two books. The thin one was a children's book; Red Riding Hood. And the larger one was Shakespeare's poetry.

 

"Here. I think you can read the Shakespeare one-"

 

Ardyn was already reading the Red Riding Hood book. He was almost halfway done. As he got to the end, he raised a questionable brow. "That's all?" He squints his eyes as he turns the book around.

 

"I'm shocked. Do human children really read this?" Ardyn wondered.

 

"Yeah. I read it when I was younger-"

 

"How old is Red Riding Hood? She looks 400 years old." Noctis opened his mouth to argue, but Ardyn spoke first. "Seven-years-old." He added in. "A mother would seriously hand her daughter out into the wilderness alone?"

 

"It's just a fairytale. It's fiction."

 

Ardyn moved onto the larger and heavier book. He took it with both of his hands. He opened it up to a random page; Romeo and Juliet. The merman looked quite amused at the story. Noctis almost gagged in disgust. He hated that story. In high school, he had to do a play and he had to act out as Juliet. It was a blind draw anyway. Pick a paper from a box and deal with it.

 

"Interesting." The merman comments. "A man, a woman. Brilliant concept." He said with sarcasm.

 

"Don't like it?"

 

"Oh, I do enjoy the story. The characters are...somewhat fine. Could have done better."

 

Noctis scoffed. "You know this was made somewhere around 1597, right?"

 

"I have been in the waters for quite some time. I have never laid my hands on paper and books."

 

"So...translate." Noct crossed his arms.

 

"Peirso means "I," Ardyn replied plainly. "You would have to do other things for me to translate them all."

 

"That...is not really playing fair, is it?"

 

"I said I would translate one word, did I not?" Ardyn tapped his temple, gesturing Noctis' memory. When the raven remembered, his breath hitched. That made the merman chuckle lowly. Noctis' cheeks puffed out, slowly nodding his head.

 

"Question ten: Do you have mating seasons or something?" Noctis asked awkwardly.

 

"Ah, yes. We do." Ardyn responded. "For merpeople, it happens differently. Some have it on certain occasions, as they would have it in autumn, winter, summer, or like me; spring." Noctis froze. It was May. 

 

"Did yours...pass?"

 

Ardyn nodded. "Yes, it passed. You must be _relieved_ it did." The corner of his lips raised, forming a small smirk.

 

Noct cleared his throat. "So you _do_ have a lover?"

 

"I wouldn't really call it a  _lover_. Just enough to pass through the seasons. It lasts for around 3 days. My worst one ever lasted two weeks. I was clearly in distress." Ardyn clicked his tongue, remembering the heat he endured. It was painful, stressful and irritating. The same merperson he had to be with couldn't last long enough as Ardyn did. And they didn't want to be with him anyway.  So they left. Left him to _suffer_.

 

"Why did it last that long?"

 

"Everyone's heats are different. Some last a week, some last a day, some might even last an hour. All of us are different, Noct." His tone got serious.

 

Noctis simply nodded his head. "Al...right." He awkwardly replied. "Question eleven: Education?"

 

"Merpeople teach their young instead of sending them off to what you humans call a _school_ ," Ardyn replied. 

 

"Protective, much?"

 

"Very. Especially to family and mates." 

 

"Question twelve: Do you have some sort of tradition?

 

"There is one, but I do not attend it. I find it as a waste of time. Thankfully, it isn't mandatory. We all gather around in the centre of town, celebrate, dance and have a huge feast. I'm just a bystander, but I must admit it does look fun."

 

"Sounds fun. If I were you, I'd love to attend it."

 

Ardyn raised his right brow. "Are you sure about that? It's not as fun as you think it is."

 

"I mean...you celebrate and have a huge feast. It sounds nice."

 

"Oh, but that's what you think." Ardyn crossed his arms and put them on the edge of the platform. He lowered his chin down to lie on his arms. "Our celebrations are truly dark. I don't even think it's suitable for your ears to hear." 

 

"You do know that I'm not a child. Do you really expect me to go to sleep and think if I have a monster in my closet?" The redhead shook his head and didn't believe Noctis one bit.

 

Ardyn's red finned ears picked up something in the distance. He lifted his chin off of the platform, observing his surroundings. To his left, the EXIT doors opened, revealing a freckled blond in his lily white lab coat. The merman descended into his tank, all the way to the bottom. He sat there, looking through the glass at the hyper young man.

 

"Hey, Noct!" Prompto waved. He skipped his way to the raven, waving a camera in his hand. He walked up the stairs to meet his friend, sitting next to him.

 

"Hey." The raven replied.

 

"Sooo, how'd it go?" The blond grinned, powering on his camera.

 

"It was fine, I guess. We went through 12 questions."

 

"Hey, at least you two got to socialize! Better than last time!" Prompto nudged his friend in the shoulder twice playfully. The merman below watched with beady eyes, squinting at the freckled young man.

 

"Can I take a picture of this guy? He looks so cool! I could send this to Dino!" Prompto brought his device up to his face, zooming to the merman. He looked irritated. Noctis quickly placed his palm at the lens, shaking his head.

 

"I don't think he'll like that..."

 

"Aw, I don't think he'll mind." Prompto shrugged it off, moving his camera away from Noct's hand. He zoomed in closer to the sea creature. "Woah, are those fins for ears!?" The blond exclaimed. The fins disappeared. Prompto zoomed a little bit back, realizing the merman was gone. Out of thin air!

 

"Where'd he go?" He asked as he turned his head around to face Noctis, who was looking up, terrified. He arched his back, pushing himself away from the edge. Prompto spun around, seeing the merman in front of him. The redhead took the device, causing the blond to squeak.

 

"Noctis, what is this?" Ardyn asked.

 

"It's called a camera. You take pictures using it."

 

"Memory saving? Interesting..." Ardyn looked back at the camera. His claws were huge, making it difficult for him to access anything. The redhead liked the device already, fiddling around with it straight away. His thumb pressed hard on a button, taking a picture. The flash was on, causing Ardyn to jolt in surprise. He dropped it onto the blond's lap, who looked at the taken photo. 

 

"Light? In a black box? That seems strange."

 

"That's how cameras work." Prompto fiddled with his device but quickly perked up. "Oh, yeah! I'm Prompto! Yours is...?"

 

"Ardyn." The merman shortly replied. He didn't fully trust the blond. Prompto thrusted his hand out, gesturing for the merman to take it. He didn't. He glanced at Noctis, who seemed to calm down.

 

"Is that man your mate?" Ardyn pointed his index finger at Prompto.

 

"Er, what? Prompto's a friend. We're just really close. But _nowhere_ near dating." Noctis defended himself. The freckled man snorted and laughed.

 

"I see."

 

"Yeah, I defiantly swear. Even on my heart." Noct added in.

 

Prompto let out a snort. "He's all yours." He told the merman.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> did you guys fucking see how rushed that ending was? I had a writer's block. .-.
> 
> https://royaltystudio.tumblr.com/
> 
> ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


End file.
